Dark Flow
by gypsy-dreaming
Summary: Post ME2. With The Collectors beaten Shepard & her team prepare to convince the Citadel to help one last time. Acceptance by the Citadel comes with it's own set of problems & as loyalties & relationships become confused a conspiracy brews within. R&R!
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: Clearly Bioware owns all. I just like to play with their toys._

The coppery sweet smell of blood filled the air, causing Commander Shepard to stifle a small gag as she leaned against one of the crates she was using for cover. It wasn't so much the blood itself that was getting to her as it was who the blood was from. Captain Anderson lay at her feet, his one remaining eye staring glassily back at her, the other eye and half his head splattered against the back wall. She wanted to vomit.

Beside her she heard the Asari's empty pistol round fall to the floor as she struggled to load in a new clip. More used to biotics than weaponry she was having a difficult time but she had proved herself in the last few hours and Shepard had to admit a begrudging respect for the quiet woman.

A burst of gunfire sounded from her left and she forced her gaze from Anderson's empty one to meet the eyes of her newfound Turian ally. His gaze, when he met hers, was grim as well. For a brief moment they acknowledged the same unspoken communication before he lifted the Assault rifle and fired once more into the warehouse.

The situation was grim; they weren't going to be able to hold back their attackers much longer. The blue light of her biotics surrounded Shepard, focusing her mind as she let flow a stream of energy that had the merc falling to the floor, hands grasping uselessly at his throat as he desperately tried to breathe in the air that was simply no longer there. If she got out of here alive, Shepard vowed that she was going to send Samara a gigantic gift basket in exchange for teaching her that skill.

_Well that's one down and only about a hundred more to go. _A concussive round hit her in the stomach, sending her stumbling back to the floor as her gun went flying to the floor at her side. All around her the sounds of battle raged, another shot exploded near her head and the world went awash in white noise.

Sound and awareness returned to her in a disorienting flash as a familiar laugh rose above the noise of the battle. Quickly she reached for her gun, turning just in time to watch her nemesis deposit a bullet into the Asari's shoulder, dropping her as she screamed in pain. The wound glowed bright red.

Shepard opened fire but her bullets bounced off the shield as if they were little more than gnats. Another shot and the Turian fell as well, the shot lodging in the side of his body. Unlike the Asari he lay still and quite, blue blood seeping slowly into the cold ground.

Shepard stood, biotics flaring as she scrambled backwards for cover, desperately trying to slow down the approaching mercs. Her back hit the wall with an ominous slam and she watched a cruel smile twist the other woman's features, "Shepard, alone at last."

A shot rang out, piercing her shields and armor to lodge in her thigh. She refused to scream even as the pain forced her to crouch, her eyes steady as she faced the other woman down.

"I am going to enjoy killing you, human."

A well aimed hit with a rifle butt sent her head snapping back as two mercs grabbed her, hauling her up for the other woman's examination. With the last of her strength, she used her biotics to push the two mercs across the warehouse, "Fuck you."

"So good of you to try and keep things interesting, Shepard." The assault rifle clicked once as a new cartridge loaded. For a second Shepard allowed herself to feel a pang of regret, her mind settling on the image of Garrus as she had last seen him on the Normandy. It was the second time she would be leaving him without saying goodbye.

She had never told him she loved him.

Tears burned at the back of her throat but she pushed them back, refusing to grant the bitch before her the satisfaction of seeing her break before she died. In her heart, she began to let go of everything she was leaving behind. She felt her features settle into a peaceful, impassive mask as the sound of a gunshot reverberated through the building.


	2. Chapter One

_Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Bioware. _

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"_I just … I've seen so many things go wrong, Shepard. My work at C-Sec, what happened with Sidonis … I want something to go right. Just once. Just ..."_

Shepard's eyes flew open to stare out at the dark sky. A soft groan escaped from her lips as she gingerly raised herself from the floor where she had fallen asleep. Her toolkit lay spread out all around her, the control panel she'd been trying to fix in the starboard observation room still blinking an error message. It might have been infinitely better if she'd let Tali or Legion take a look at the console instead but ever since the suicide mission and the destruction of the Collector base she had been unable to sleep. Being useful had seemed like a promising alternative to pacing. It had worked like a charm, her brain finally quieting enough to allow her a few hours of rest. She was awake though now and the worry, never silent for long, instantly dominated her thoughts. They had been damned lucky getting out with everyone alive, she was more than a little aware of badly things could have gone and for a moment … well, for a moment she thought she might have ended up floating around in space again. It wasn't a comforting thought.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Garrus' voice brought a small smile to her face. He was the only thing that had seemed to come out right from all of this, an unwavering rock of support when she'd needed it the most. Of course, it didn't hurt that he could take out any target at 500 feet or that he made her stomach do something suspiciously like acrobatics whenever he spoke to her, or touched her or …

"I believe the human expression, 'Penny for your thoughts' would probably be appropriate." He lowered himself carefully to the ground, his concerned gaze drifting over her face, "You got everyone out alive, Shepard. No casualties, no injuries that a few weeks of medical care and some medi-gel can't fix. Not to mention you also managed blow the Collector base into space dust. I'd say that qualifies as a victory."

"We were lucky," her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, a slight tremor running through her words as she drew her knees up to her chest, "It was such a near-miss thing, Garrus. We almost lost everyone, everything, and that was only a battle, not the war!" Her head dropped down to her knees, her arms wrapping tightly around herself as she continued to study the stars and planets twinkling in the distance, "We barely managed to take care of the pit crew, Garrus, without it being game over. Again."

"Shepard." Her eyes squeezed shut tightly against the mortifying rush of liquid. She could feel Garrus, tense beside her, his uncertainty palpable for only a moment before he closed the distance between them to cradle her carefully against his side, "No one died this time, Shepard. You didn't die this time. We beat those Collector bastards at their own game."

She shook her head before gesturing at the wide expanse of space visible from the port window, "Maybe, but tell me how we're going to beat that!" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Tell me how we're going to protect it."

"Hey," Garrus turned her face carefully so that she was looking at him, "You'll figure it out. It's what you do. You're a hero, right? I know you Shepard, there's nothing you won't do and no crazy, powerful ex-con biotic you won't recruit if you think it'll get the job done."

Despite herself she smiled, "A hero, huh? Maybe I should look into getting a cape or a gigantic signal light."

"Okay, I don't quite understand how that will be useful against the Reapers but what the hell, we haven't tried it yet."

"It's a joke, Garrus."

"Oh," he smiled a bit self-consciously, his head coming to rest against hers, "I knew that. But I still don't get it."

Shepard's low laugh vibrated pleasantly against the side of his chest and Garrus shivered in pleasure as she slid into his lap so that she was facing him, "Have I told you how much I enjoy your pep talks, Vakarian?"

Garrus swallowed nervously, uncertainty and desire raging through him as he reached up to cup Shepard's face. It had only been a week since they had first spent the night together and Garrus still found himself waiting for the other shoe to drop, for her to tell him it was a mistake, and prove to Garrus once and for all that he would only ever be able to skitter around the edge of happiness, "Shepard ..." The words he'd meant to say died on his lips as her hands slipped under his tunic to caress the plates of his chest and abdomen.

"Have I also mentioned how much I enjoy it when you don't wear your armor around me? It makes it so much easier to do this."

Garrus nodded absently as he leaned forward to nuzzle her neck, his own hands slipping under her shirt and pulling her flush against him, "You might've mentioned something like that before." Shepard let out a happy sigh, molding her body against his as she rested her head, against his chest, listening to the reassuring beat of his heart, his warmth seeping through the thin fabric of his tunic to heat her own skin. She feathered a trail of kisses along Garrus' neck down to his cowl, his rumble of pleasure causing her body to tense in excitement. At first, she had been surprised at how easily they had fit together; a large part of her had feared that Garrus' joke about inter-species embarrassment would be prophetic. It had only taken moments for her to realize that their night together would be better than either had dared to hope for.

Shepard's com beeped in warning seconds before Yeoman Chambers' perky voice filled her ears, "Commander, you've received a new message at your private terminal from Captain Anderson."

"Thank you, Yeoman." Beneath her, Garrus growled in frustration.

"Duty calls."

"Duty," he said uncharitably, "has a terrible sense of timing."


	3. Chapter Two

_Disclaimer: Everything is the property of Bioware. _

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_Shepard -_

_I forwarded the content of your last report onto the Council. They have agreed to have another meeting with you. I don't think I need to stress the importance of bringing every shred of evidence you might have to back up your argument. The rest of the Council is beginning to lose their patience with me and if this meeting falls through I doubt we'llg et a chance at another any time soon._

_Ambassador Anderson_

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"So pretty much this is our last chance to get Council support against the Reapers and whatever else they have in store for us."

Commander Shepard couldn't help the distinctly nostalgic feeling she got as she surveyed her ground team. This was the last time they would be all together like this. When they reached the Citadel in a few hours the first two were disembarking for good. She allowed her eyes to settle on Samara, knowing full well that the Asari understood everything that Shepard felt without the Commander having to say a word. Despite Kelly's reservations concerning the Justicar's cold demeanor Shepard had become fast friends with the woman. It was the friend, not just the muscle, that she was going to miss the most.

Further down the room Zaeed sat in stony silence, hjs focus already turned inwards on his own personal agenda. He would also be leaving them at the Citadel and despite their rather rocky start she knew she would miss the man as well. Unlike Samara he had been unwilling to openly accept her friendship, reverting to his stock impassivity at any expressions of gratitude that he considered too overt. She knew though that he understood that her offer of friendship would last indefinitely. She would never forget his help on the Collector Base or his tacit approval of it's destruction.

The majority of her crew would be staying despite the uncertainty of their situation. No longer Cerberus yet not really allied with either the Alliance or the Council they were drifting in political limbo. Technically, Shepard was still a Spectre but she knew well enough that such a technicality would be little help against the Reaper threat. She needed the backing of the Council whether she liked it or not. Lately, she had felt more and more as if the Citadel wasn't worth all the trouble. If she hadn't received Anderson's latest response to her reports concerning the Collectors she had a feeling that the discussion she was currently having with her crew would have been less about persusion and more about who else might have a vested interest in galactic safety.

Still, she mused regretfully, it would have been nice if 'in the nick of time' had been a few hours later. As if on cue, Garrus lifted his head so that his gaze locked with hers and for a second she felt her world tilt slightly to the side as her body remembered exactly _what_ Anderson's message had interrupted. Resolutely, she forced herself to breathe both in and out as she struggled to push her memories to the side. The mission had to come first. But _that_, she conceded eagerly, was a very close second.

Shepard cleared her throat loudly, snapping both her crew and herself out of the individual reveries they'd fallen into after she'd told them about what awaited them on the Citadel.

"Moridin," the Salarian scientist started at the sound of his name and Shepard had the distinct feeling that she'd interrupted some form of complex calculation whirring through the scientist's mind, "I want you to be part of the team that goes into the meeting. Not only can you present your data the best but I plan to shamelessly use your former STG status to sway the Salarian Councilor."

Moridin nodded, his clipped voice agreeing with her tactic, "Of course. Reaper threat too important to not employ every advantage. Will be ready."

"I would like to attend the meeting as well."

Samara's low voice interrupted what she had been about to say. She was more than a little surprised; part of her had assumed that the Asari would have disappeared almost as soon as they docked. She began to give voice to her questions when Samara's voice rang out again, "The support of an Asari Justicar may also help sway the Council to your side. We are rare, but no Asari can completely ignore our reputation. My support, even if it is silent, will not be something that Councilor Tevoh will be able to ignore."

Shepard mumbled her thanks, "Is there anything else anyone wants to add?"

"Yeah," Jack's sardonic drawl caught the attention of the room, "You might as well take Garrus, too. That way you'll have full set of your own and you can see whose is bigger."

Grunt let out a laugh from next to her, one large hand slamming down on the table as he announced, "I like it! Let those bastards see who has the bigger quad."

"All right, that settles it then. Shore party be prepared to disembark in 0200 hours. Everyone who's not coming to the Embassy with me can start enjoying 24 hours of shore leave a little early. Dismissed."

Quickly, the crew filed out and Shepard noted the sudden spring in the step of those lucky enough to start their R&R before the others. She knew that the last week had been hell on them between the Collectors, the massive repairs on the Normandy and the uncertainty that had slowly seemed to settle over them all. She had taken note of dark rings under eyes and their listlessness days ago and she was pleased that her meeting with the Council gave her an opportunity to finally do something about it. A little break from reality for them to game and drink away the remainder of their Cerberus paychecks had seemed exactly like what the doctor would order.

The feeling of a hand moving carefully through her hair reminded Shepard that not everyone had left the Comm room, "You really like my hair, don't you?"

Garrus' mandible twitched in satisfaction as Shepard turned to face him, the impassive look she had worn throughout the meeting fading entirely. She might have fooled the others but he could sense the exhaustion that had lurked underneath. She'd barely had a chance to breath after the attack, instantly caught up in the millions of details regarding the ship's repair and Anderson's politics without ever stopping. Quickly, before she could stop him, he raised his hands and untwisted the knot she wore at the back of her bead so that the coppery-brown mass fell heavily about her shoulders, "It's unique."

And it was, he thought absently, but he had never before been consumed by such fascination for the strange human feature. This, he knew, was less about the newness of it all and more about the fact that it was hers. At some point he'd closed the distance between them and Shepard's hands rested lightly on his waist, burning a hole even through his bulky armor. With a soft growl, he nipped at her shoulder and felt her shiver with pleasure as she arched into him, the pulse in her neck fluttering wildly beneath his mouth. Her hair, brushed against him, enveloping him in the spicy scents of cloves and cinnamon and beneath that the alien scent of her.

He felt his lower plates shift as his armor suddenly became uncomfortably tight and hard around him. Shepard seemed to sense his discomfort, her hands moving rapidly over the garment she searched for the locks that would help ease the pieces apart. He responded in kind, his fingers carefully removing her tunic and bra, so that the upper part of her body was exposed to him.

"Please," she moaned as the last of his armor clunked to the floor, "tell me that you locked the damn door."


	4. Chapter Three

_Disclaimer: Everything but the story belongs to Bioware._

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"It was with great reluctance that I allowed myself to be coerced into this meeting in the first place and the fact that I am now being forced to grant your outlandish claims any consideration is almost beyond belief." The turian Councilor's mandibles flared in agitation as he gazed down at the quartet that stood before him and his colleagues. The steeliest portion of his gaze he saved for the human female that stood at their head. Even now her mouth was set in a determined line despite the smooth impassivity of the rest of her face. Humans, he thought bitterly, were terrible at concealing anything. Every emotion they felt was written across their bare faces for the entire galaxy to see. It stood directly against the turian preference for restraint, confirming in his mind that their two species couldn't be farther apart than if she was a hanar. It was also another clear indication to his mind that the fledgling species had not yet been ready to join the Spectres let alone the Council.

This human Spectre in particular had been nothing but trouble from the moment she stepped on to the Citadel. First, there had been all that trouble with Saren, and while he would begrudgingly concede that she had been right he couldn't help but wish anybody but she had been the one to take him down. Then, there had been her relentless campaign about the ephemeral Reapers, the current source of his headache. And that was without taking into account the fact that the shameless female had allied herself with Cerberus despite her knowledge that it was considered a terrorist organization! He would stake his life on the fact that nothing good had ever come from dealing with the troublesome Commander. He was still unable to understand how she'd convinced a former STG officer and an asari Justicar, of all things, to join her cause. And then of course, there was her turian crew member.

The Councilor turned his gaze toward the member that interested him the most. Garrus Vakarian stood quietly behind his Commander, his face impassive the Councilor was pleased to note. Councilor Valern had heard rumors of the younger Vakarians mysterious reappearance after Commander Shepard had returned from the dead, but he hadn't truly believed it until he laid eyes on him at this meeting. Wherever he had been, the Councilor thought as he took in the cybernetic mesh and scarred visage, it had not agreed with him. Still, despite his scandalous past, the young turian stood like any model citizen: his shoulders and head were thrown back, his visage free of any unnecessary emotion, his eyes trained on his Commanding officer with a look that could only be described as - affectionate? Councilor Valern felt his stomach turn at the sudden thought that assailed him but now that he had noticed the first sign a dozen more subtle clues seemed to assault him. It was the way he stood just too close to her to be polite, the slight quivering of his mandibles when she spoke, the needless touch of her arm during the ridiculous Salarian's presentation but, most damning of all, it burned like fire in his eyes as he watched her, obvious to anybody who cared to see. A Vakarian taking up with a human was a situation he'd never thought he'd live to see.

"It is undeniable that the support of the doctor and the Justicar have lent your argument some weight, Commander. Not to mention that the volume of data you've brought back from beyond the Omega 4 Relay is hard to ignore." His colleagues' voice snapped him out of his reverie and forced him to take stock of where the situation with Shepard was heading. "In light of all you've shown us today I would ask that you grant us an additional day to sift through the information. The action you are asking us to take could have severe consequences for galactic stability and we need to be certain that we understand the situation better before we make any such commitment. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I express my wish to avoid any unnecessary surprises."

"Of course," Shepard's clear voice rang out in the tower, years of military training the only thing keeping her elation in check as she acquiesced to the Councilor's demands, "I'll have Moridin upload all our data to your offices and we shall remain in the area should you need us."

"It is decided then. In one day, Commander, you shall have your answer."

Shepard hadn't quite skipped out of the Citadel Tower but her quasi-success had left her feeling euphoric and, even more importantly, hopeful. She was aware that Councilor Anderson felt the same way, he'd allowed his professional facade to crack long enough for her to pick up on the triumph and relief that lurked behind his politician's mask. Shepard let out a happy sigh as she leaned over the balcony of Anderson's office to examine the Presidium below. Behind her she could her Anderson explaining the situation to a practically speechless Udina as he proceeded to give the man a detailed list of directions. She could barely wait for Anderson to finish with the man and dismiss her as well so that she could celebrate with her crew. She was grateful however that the most important person already stood by her side, his eyes drinking in the details of her face as she let her contentment shine through.

Garrus was unsure what his problem was. Ever since their encounter in the Comm room he'd been unable to take his eyes off of her. It didn't matter that they'd slaked their desire only hours before, she seemed to practically glow with triumph and he found the sight intoxicating. It took a tremendous amount of will power to keep his hands by his side where they belonged and not running through her hair and underneath her clothing like he wanted. Unable to help himself entirely he placed one hand on her waist as he stepped close enough to her that their bodies touched.

She'd noticed immediately of course, the slight contact sending an electrical charge along her spine. The smart-ass comment she'd prepared though was immediately forgotten as she tilted her face up to his and felt her breath catch at the look on his face. It was a look of pure need and she felt an answering tug start low in her body. Instinctively, she raised her hand to the scarred side of his face, the cybernetic patch glistening in the Presidium's artificial light. She was almost hyper-aware of his sharp intake of breathe at the first touch of her fingers, his mandibles quivering in anticipation as he turned instinctively into her touch.

The sound of Councilor Anderson tacitly clearing his throat brought them back to reality as they sprang apart guiltily, an embarrassed flush spreading over her skin. When he spoke his voice was carefully neutral but she was more than aware of the appraising look in his eyes, "If you have a moment, Shepard, I'd like to speak with you before you return to your crew."

She nodded dumbly, barely acknowledging Garrus as he made his excuses and left her alone with her former mentor. For a moment, neither of them spoke, each of them clearly uncomfortable with the subject that was about to be discussed. The worse part, she thought begrudgingly, was that she had no one to blame but herself. She'd let her feelings get the better of her, acting as if she and Garrus were completely alone and not a mere few yards away from Anderson. If it was a reprimand she was about to receive she had no doubt that she deserved it. When Anderson finally spoke though it was not to issue the expected set-down but rather a quiet request, "Take a walk with me, Shepard."

Shepard was thankful for the distraction of the crowds as they wound their way through the Presidium toward the Wards. Beside her, Councilor Anderson kept studiously quiet as he collected his thoughts. It wasn't until they stood before the entrance to the Wards that he broke the silence. "I have a feeling that any argument I could make against entering into a romantic entanglement with would be too little, too late."

Shepard forced herself to meet Anderson's eyes, uncertain over where exactly he was taking the conversation. She opened her mouth to speak but he silenced her with a glance before continuing, "I'm not your CO anymore, Shepard, and you're no longer an Alliance operative. I have no more right to tell you who you can and cannot fraternize with than any other of your peers and even if I did I'm not sure I would use it."

"Sir?"

Anderson cleared his throat one last time, his features softening as he studied her. He'd been careful not to let on just how much her death and subsequent resurrection had affected him. But he had always harbored a certain affection for his XO that was much more appropriate for a father than a CO. He'd rarely let it show, not wanting to disrupt the mutual respect that had grown between them during her time under his command. To lose her once had cut him deeply and he considered her resurrection little less than a miracle for which he was distinctly grateful. There was no denying however the distance that the last few years had placed between them; they had both changed and it was difficult to define the new relationship that existed between them. The affection and respect were still there but they were tempered by grief and time. But there was a new element on his part as well, a desire for her to take advantage of this precious second chance. He wanted to see her happy and when he'd turned around and caught her and Officer Vakarian together he'd seen the possibility for it in the way they had looked together.

"I won't lie to you and say that I'd never hoped to see you end up with a human, Shepard. And I won't give you false comfort by telling you that it's going to be easy because it won't. There are going to be some who see your involvement with a turian as a sign that you've turned your back on your own species. There will be many who will despise and discredit you for it as well."

It wasn't his first choice. He knew that there had been rumors about her and Alenko before her death and part of him had hoped for a reconciliation between them. But when he thought back over the few times he'd seen the two of them together after the attack on the Citadel he was unable to pinpoint a single moment where anything rivaling what he had seen earlier had manifested.

"None of that matters to me."

Shepard felt a wave of gratitude toward the man who stood before her. His support meant more to her than he could have imagined and she found herself swallowing back a lump of tears as he continued.

"All that matters to me is that you take advantage of this second chance to find happiness. You gave your life once already in the line of duty for your people, we have no right to ask any more of you than that. So if this is what you want, Shepard, if you think you have a chance at finding love - then I don't care if he's purple, krogan, human or turian. All I care about is that you're happy."


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Bioware owns all.

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The Dark Star Club was more crowded than usual, bodies packed tightly against one another as a cacophony of voices and languages competed with the music for dominance. Garrus shifted uncomfortably on his seat as he watched the rest of the crew celebrate with a sense of abandon he envied. He had never been particularly comfortable in venues like this. His time at C-Sec had thoroughly exposed him to the seedy underbelly of the former clubs that occupied the Citadel, leaving him unable to really enjoy any of them when he was off-duty. On Omega the dislike he'd felt for Aria's domain had been visceral, it had made his skin crawl just going there to dig up information on the local mercs. Even though the Dark Star was a step above what had been here before he still found himself unable to really relax. He wouldn't even be here, he reflected morosely, if he hadn't felt the need to speak to Shepard immediately and apologize for the incident in Anderson's office.

The memory of their earlier indiscretion sent a wave of embarrassment through him and for the second time that day he was absurdly grateful for the fact that turians couldn't blush. He knew that by normal human standards their conduct hadn't been particularly remarkable. He had witnessed at least a dozen similar incidents between humans since he had left her with Anderson. As far as he knew though, none of those other couples had been in front of their military commanders or ambassadors. And none of those couples had included a turian. Garrus was unsure which factor would cause Shepard more trouble, their lack of professionalism or that they were breaking a taboo leftover from the Contact Wars. It was a lucky thing, he thought, that Anderson wasn't a turian.

Decades of a strict turian upbringing and his father's even stricter personal code left him with little doubt about the problems their behavior could cause if it ever got back to the elder Vakarian. His father had always prided himself on his personal restraint, he believed that only by completely subduing one's ego could they become an efficient tool of the state. The betterment of turian society, he had often been taught, was of greater importance than any personal dreams or happiness. There was no room for passion in his fathers worldview and very little for love. His parents union hadn't survived his father's dictates and Garrus knew he had barely passed muster either. He had always been too strong-willed, too impulsive, too much himself. In his father's eyes he had always been a disappointment, a fact that he never let Garrus forget.

Garrus hadn't seen his father since the eve of his departure for Omega. Their exchange had been heated and ultimately one-sided; he left without saying goodbye. Garrus hadn't spoken with him since and he wasn't exactly in a hurry to start now. If his father ever discovered that his only son had become romantically involved with a human he was likely to drop dead on the spot. For the elder Vakarian memories of the Contact Wars were still fresh and despite the time that had passed his attitude toward the species hadn't changed.

A movement beside him broke Garrus out of his reverie and turned to find himself watching Shepard as she slid onto the bar stool beside him.

"I figured I'd find you lurking in a dark corner somewhere."

Shepard watched Garrus' mandibles twitch in amusement as he looked down at her. She'd been concerned when she first spotted him in the club. He had seemed tense, worried, and even now he was withdrawn. He'd put space between them as soon as she sat beside him, taking care that he didn't brush against her at all despite the jostling crowd around them.

"How did your meeting with Ambassador Anderson go?"

Shepard relaxed at his question, beginning to understand where his reserve was coming from. She had forgotten that Garrus was unaware of Anderson's sentiments and realized that he most likely thought she'd received a harsh reprisal from her former mentor. It was what she had been expecting as well and Anderson's support had been an unexpected surprise. She felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she thought back on their conversation, "It wasn't what I was expecting."

"Shepard -"

"Garrus," she cut him off gently, letting the silence stretch between them as she thought how best to explain what had passed between Anderson and herself. She had never been good in situations like this, words had always seemed to get in the way of her communicating what she actually felt. Part of it she knew was due to her childhood; both her parents had been military and were often apart. Even when they were together they had always been so careful not to cross any lines that she could only remember them expressing any romantic feelings once. The other part was due to her own military career; she'd risen through the ranks fast - a fact many people didn't appreciate. She'd been forced to prove herself from the start and that meant being faster, deadlier and harder than all the rest. Her time in positions of command had softened her somewhat, taught her tough lessons in compassion and diplomacy but she'd never been able to lower the barriers she kept up around herself. Even with Kaidan she hadn't completely let her guard down: she'd been too busy waiting for the other shoe to drop to trust that it wouldn't.

In some ways she'd been right. She'd died before ever really giving Kaidan a chance only to wake up in a world where it was too late to go back. She didn't want to make the same mistakes with Garrus.

"Anderson doesn't have a problem with us, Garrus."

Surprise flickered across his features as he fumbled for something to say. Whatever he'd been expecting her to say it hadn't been that. Shepard scooted closer to him, letting her hand intertwine with his on the counter, "Even if he hadn't approved Garrus, it wouldn't have changed anything. As far as I'm concerned this isn't anyone else's business. This is between you and me. I have a feeling that as long as we can remember that we'll be just fine."

Garrus hadn't been expecting that. He was slightly floored and, he realized belatedly, grinning down at Shepard like an idiot. She tightened her grip on his hand and moved closer so that she half leaned against him as they sat. He could tell however, that her mind was already turning away from their conversation. Her eyes were busily scanning the room as she picked out the crew members still in the club. Thoughts of the upcoming mission had quickly replaced her concern for their relationship.

Garrus knew that it had been moments like this that had strained her relationship with Kaidan soon after it had begun. She'd admitted as much to him once in the main battery when he'd first returned and asked her about whether or not they were going to look for him. He understood though, better even than he would have two years ago. His time on Omega had changed him. They had taught him the burdens of command and he understood better than most why exactly the mission took priority over everything else. Their personal wants and needs could wait. Regardless of anything else, Garrus always had the Commander's back; he would be there when she needed him.

"Think we should round them and take them home or leave them to their own devices?"

Shepard shook her head, letting Garrus catch a brief glimpse of the mischievous glint in her eyes, "Nah, I wouldn't want to ruin their fun and besides - Moridin mentioned that he had a few hangover cures that he's been dying to try out ..."


End file.
